A Wild Woman

“While I have no interest in spending one more second in the stage with a dead body, it just isn’t honorable or the least bit Christian just to leave her out to rot.”
“Hope there’s an undertaker at the next town, too,” he grumbled, spitting in the grass.
Poor woman. Patricia was—had been—so brave. As she’d shared her story, I’d actually been a little jealous. Knowing a man was waiting at her final destination was quite enviable. Someone who wanted her enough to submit an advertisement and pay her way. Someone who was actually eager for her.
And then there was me, homeless and destitute as soon as we arrived at the next stop. No man. No husband. No—
An idea formed in my head, making my heart skip a beat. Patricia had a man waiting for her. A husband. Someone who wanted a wife. He didn’t care particularly who since he’d chosen a mail order bride. A stranger. I could be the mail order bride. I could take Patricia’s place.
It could work. Couldn’t it? Was it right to take advantage of a dead woman? I stood on shaky legs and glanced at Patricia’s dead body, then away. She was no longer of this world and wouldn’t care. She wouldn’t blame me. Hell and tarnation, women had to take advantages that were given to them.
“All right. I’ll stay in the back with her,” I told the driver.
I tilted my chin up, met the man’s sharp gaze as I walked over to the stage, peeked in, then reached for my small bag. “But you’ll take me to where Miss Strong was headed.”
“Take you…” He shoved his hat back on his head, spit into the grass again. “I see what you’re about.”
“Oh?” I asked. “And what’s that?”
“You’re going to take her place.”
I slid my gun from my bag, aimed it at him. He slowly raised his hands.
“And you were going to leave a passenger out on the prairie for the wolves,” I argued.
“Now there’s no need for a gun.” He eyed me. Not fearfully, but suspiciously. “What kind of lady are you?”
“The kind of lady who has five older brothers. A gun adds a certain level of… assurance that you’ll do the right thing by me and take me to Pueblo and the man she was to marry.”